James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

Greater Accountability

This scripture is very sobering. Being a teacher in the church is very much an accountability position. When I was asked to become a Sunday school teacher, I considered the choice seriously because of what is being written by James. I prayed on it for a while even though I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to it. He wrote this because many people in his day thought this was the job to have in the early church. But they were not called to this position by the Holy Spirit. They were seeking this position because of the status.

If the Holy Spirit has not called a person to teach, then they must know that the judgement they will be judged by is stricter. This is not saying that an errant word will be judged stricter, but that the person teaching must really seek to know the word of God well enough to speak authoritatively on it. Leading a fellow saint down a wrong road, or especially a new believer, can hinder their growth. This is a very serious matter. So, the consequence is greater for a teacher.

Our Stumbles

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. We are imperfect people in an imperfect world. But if we do not seek the Holy Spirit to lead us in teaching, then we are not stumblers but foolish. Are you perfect in word? Of course not. If you are, then you could be a sinless person because the tongue is the hardest body part to tame. It is the doorway from the heart. As Jesus teaches in Matthew 15:18 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.”

James 3:3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Has someone put a bit in your mouth to control it? Not physically, but spiritually if you have been saved then you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. This is the bit that controls our tongue. He controls our tongue because Jesus is in our hearts taming the evil. This is how we are able to teach others through and in the word of God.

Do you have the Holy Spirit?

Matthew 16:25 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” What is your desire? Is it to save your life and have your fun here on this planet? Or is it to submit your life to Christ and spend eternity with Him? What you desire is what you will have! My prayer is that you will choose Jesus.